In order to mainstream gender across sectors and all levels of governance, Government of India, has adopted Gender Budgeting as a tool in 2004-05. Ministry of Women and Child Development has been consistently promoting gender budgeting across the country as a pathway to ensure gender mainstreaming at all levels and stages of the budgetary process. Gender Budget Statement was introduced as a part of the Union Budget in 2005-06. To facilitate integration of gender analysis in policies, programmes and schemes, the Ministry of Finance in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development had issued a Gender Budget Charter on 8th March, 2007 outlining the composition and functions of the Gender Budgeting Cells (GBCs). The most important milestone in this regard has been the institutionalization of the progress through formation of GBCs in various Ministries and Departments. As of now, 57 Central Ministries /Departments have set up GBCs. Another important progress made in the Gender Budgeting system is inclusion of a column on gender impact in the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) document with effect from 1st April, 2014 for inclusion of women’s concerns at the planning stage and inclusion of a gender perspective in the Outcome Budget Process. The magnitude of Gender Budget as reflected in the GB Statement shows allocations made for women by different Ministries/Departments has increased from Rs. 14,378.68 crores in 2005-06 to Rs. 90,624.76 crores in 2016-17.
Funds are released to Central/ State Govt./Autonomous institutions for carrying out the training programmes for enhancing gender sensitivity and gender expertise, training of the Gender Budgeting Cells for mainstreaming gender concerns across levels of governance. Government autonomous institutions both at the national level and state level have been supported by the Ministry to develop in-house GB expertise and have started imparting training to various other stakeholders. To support the training programmes in a structured and sustained way the Ministry is in the process of designating nodal centres at the state level. 20 states have already designated their nodal centre and at the Central level, National Institute of Financial Management Faridabad has been designated as the nodal centre by the Ministry for undertaking gender budgeting activities.
This information was given by Minister of State for Women & Child Development, Smt Krishna Raj in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
